News

The Sangamon County Mental Health Board made progress at its first public engagement session by beginning to hash out priorities to be included in the board’s upcoming one-year plan. The Mental Health Board is responsible for disbursing tax revenue to mental health programs in the county through a limited 0.5% sales tax levy (groceries, medication […]

Union Baptist Church hosted its 155th anniversary in unison with a Get Out the Vote Rally on Sunday, Oct. 25. The event merged spiritual fellowship and political education in the midst of election season. Several Black churches came together to sing, dance and be in community. Many of the choirs performed musical selections that evoked […]

Illinois Times is the recipient of a $500,000 grant from a national venture philanthropy organization dedicated to improving local news. The American Journalism Project announced the grant on Tuesday with the intent Illinois Times will use it to expand its business capacity and build the financial foundation for its next phase of growth as a […]

Monday was the last day to file candidate petitions to appear on the ballot for the April 6 municipal elections, and several previously unannounced candidates joined the race. City Clerk Chuck Redpath held his cellphone out in anticipation of the time reaching the 5 o’clock hour, the deadline for filing candidate petitions. No candidate filed […]

William McCarty filed his candidate petitions Monday to join the Springfield mayoral race, the last day of the municipal filing period. He’ll face incumbent Mayor Misty Buscher and former alderperson Gail Simpson in the April 6 election. McCarty, 51, said he has received a steady flow of calls from people encouraging him to run for […]

Ward 6 Ald. Jennifer Notariano received an expenditure report for the Springfield Police Department on Friday after voicing her frustrations during last week’s Springfield City Council meeting about obtaining data from city officials. Illinois Times previously reported Notariano aired concerns during an Oct. 13 city council discussion on an ordinance to purchase new police department […]

The current Springfield city clerk is not seeking another term, leaving the seat open for either a government veteran or a newcomer to fill the seat. City Clerk Chuck Redpath said he has mixed feelings about stepping away. “I’m glad it’s over, but it’s going to be bad because I’ve been involved in politics my […]

Problem gamblers seeking to avoid the temptation to gamble can ban themselves from most of the state’s gambling offerings, from casinos to online sportsbooks to the Lottery. But the state’s voluntary self-exclusion program does not extend to Illinois’ extensive network of video gambling terminals — the largest in the world — that can be found […]

Dozens of high school students from across central Illinois recently got the chance to find out what it’s like to be a legislator, courtesy of state Sen. Steve McClure’s, R-Springfield, Youth Advisory Council program. “It’s always impressive how engaged these students are and how much thought and effort they put into the activities,” said McClure. […]

Around 150 people gathered in University of Illinois Springfield’s Brookens Auditorium Oct. 21 to learn more about the environmental impacts of data centers. Mary Willis, assistant professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health, discussed federal policies that sped up development and various environmental concerns stemming from the gigantic buildouts that typically require […]